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DUBLAB 2015 YEAR IN REVIEW x DJ PICKS 2015

2015’s coming to a close, and we at dublab want to wish you all a Happy Holidays! We would also like to thank you for your listenership, participation in dublab events, and support over the busy year.

DUBLAB’s offerings have steadily grown over our 16 years of operation, and 2015 was no exception. Below, you’ll find a selection of some of the highlights from the year, and, because no year-end message is complete without one or twenty Best-Of Lists, if you scroll a bit further, you’ll find the Top 3’s from a number of esteemed dublab DJs.

Earlier this year, the dublab crew went on a mini-European tour. As part of the Online Radio Festival, dublab headed out to Amsterdam and joined Berlin Community Radio, Boiler Room, NTS, Red Light Radio, and Stroom for talks, mini-conferences, radio shows, and live events. We also stopped by the dublab.de headquarters in Cologne for a 12-hour broadcast along with some friends from RBMA radio. In Brussels, we were joined by Belgian colleagues and other friends including Chico Sondido, Tommy D.

DUBLAB was honored to present an all-day Funkmosphere takeover in the lead-up to the release of DāM-FunK’s Invite the Light. With sets by DāM himself, Matt Respect, Eddie Funkster, I,Ced, and Laroj. Dam also held some wonderful interviews live with Flea, Snoop Dogg, Leon Sylvers III, Daz, I,Ced, Computer Jay, JimiJames, Novena, and XL. Listen to the broadcast in our archives here!

Events

True to form, DUBLAB presented dozens of free concerts throughout the Los Angeles area in 2015. These included:

Sleepless I

In September, Sleepless: The Music Center After Hours was presented by The Music Center in collaboration with dublab for our 16th anniversary. This free multi-room event took place in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, home of the LA Opera, from 11pm to 3am. Featuring live sets by John Tejada, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Southern Soul Spinners, Luis Perez, DJ Lady C, Steele Bonus, Pinchy Don, SK Kakraba and many many more. Sleepless opened the doors of The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to the general public in a way that’s never been offered before, transforming it sonically, visually and spatially. Check out a video that the Music Center put together with footage from the event!

Sleepless II

Building on the previous Sleepless event’s success, the Music Center expanded the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion’s capacity and opened up new rooms for dublab to curate an even more intricate night of music, visuals and art installations. Daniel Lanois took over the entire fifth floor of the Pavilion, playing a nearly continuous four-hour set of pedal steel guitar. Attendees were entranced by installations from Nanny Cantoloupe, Tom Recchion, Miko Revereza and the Vas Deferens Organization. Performers and DJs for the night included William Basinski, Jeff Parker, $3.33, Locust (R&S), Dntel, Mark Maxwell, Maria Minerva, Suzanne Kraft, Daniel T., and many, many more. A full lineup for the night can be viewed here.

The Second Summer of Love

On April 30th, 2015 part of Britweek, Novation & dublab presented The Second Summer of Love “Upstairs” at the Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. This happening was dedicated to the rise of Acid House in the UK during what became known as the Second Summer of Love. This music movement, which spanned the unusually hot British Summers of 1988 and ’89, changed the state of music worldwide. DUBLAB DJs Jimi Hey, Daddy Differently,Lovefingers and Heidi Lawden played classic songs from this period amidst projected, archival artwork and photographs (archives of these sets can be found on dublab.com or by clicking on the DJs names above). The Second Summer of Love event paid tribute to influential clubs like Shoom, Trip and The Haçienda while celebrating the legacy of the scene’s producers and DJs whose work influenced contemporary dance music.

Tonalism

This year Tonalism, dublab’s annual all-night ambient happening, was presented at 356 Mission, with an incredible lineup featuring DJ sets by dublab DJs Sodapop and Hoseh, solo ambient sets by members of Animal Collective, Black Dice and Gang Gang Dance, and sets by the Klang Association, Miles Cooper Seaton & Heather McIntosh,$3.33,George Jensen and Angela Seo (Xiu Xiu). Inspired by La Monte Young’s “Dream House” as well as the work of musicians and composers such as Terry Riley, Yoko Ono and John Cage, Tonalism combines sound and visual elements to create an experience that audiences can enjoy over an extended period of time. Live musicians, DJs and video artists played and perform throughout the night; starting at 6pm and ending at 6am, with complimentary tea and water for all who attended.

Bring Your Own Dance Moves

In the Summer of 2015, in collaboration with ArtDontSleep and the Music Center, dublab presented Bring Your Own Dance Moves, six free nights of non-stop music on the Music Center Plaza featuring top LA DJs including: Cut Chemist, Benedek, The Egyptian Lover, Carlos Nino, Cooper Saver, Peanut Butter Wolf, Heidi Lawden, Secret Circuit, Suzanne Kraft and Jimmy Hey.

Twilight in the Garden: Little Tokyo Concert Series at JACCC

Taking place in the beautiful James Irvine Japanese Garden in Little Tokyo, The Twilight in the Garden Series brought DUBLAB DJs Seano, Hoseh, Gifted & Blessed, and Carlos Nino together with live bands Shafiq Husayn & Dove Society, Ethio-Cali, Buyepongo, and Quartetto Fantastico for a series of four intimate summer concerts!

DJ Top 3s

Ale

Midday Veil – This Wilderness

Mark Van Hoen – Nightvision

Fenster – Emocean

Marco Paul

Autolux – The Soft Scene

Deerhunter – Fading Frontier

Swervedriver – I Was Never Born To Lose You

Seano

Jamie XX – Obvs

Floating Points – Silhouettes (I, II & III) 2

Dexter Story – Mowa (featuring Miguel Atwood-Ferguson)

Zøraya

Not sure if the Apex Twin magical user posts count as a record but it was definitely a highlight of 2015 for me : )